Begonia plant named ‘Dobegicspflipitul’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Dobegicspflipitul’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to spreading and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark greyed green-colored leaves; freely and continuously flowering habit; and relatively large double and single flowers that are dark pink in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia boliviensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOBEGICSPFLIPITUL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia boliviensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dobegicspflipitul’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and flowering Begonia plants with large and attractive flowers and dark-colored leaves.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor of two unidentified selections of Begonia boliviensis, not patented. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dobegicspflipitul’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dobegicspflipitul’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright to spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Dark greyed green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely and continuously flowering habit.     -   6. Relatively large double and single flowers that are dark pink         in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the parent selections. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in growth habit as plants of the new Begonia are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia boliviensis ‘Beauvilia White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘Beauvilia White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Beauvilia White’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Beauvilia White’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia face more upright and         outwardly than and not as downward as flowers of plants of         ‘Beauvilia White’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dobegicspflipitul’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. and minium light level was 135 watt/m². Plants were ten weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia boliviensis ‘Dobegicspflipitul’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of Begonia             boliviensis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Begonia             boliviensis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days             at temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days             at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey             in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to             form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright to spreading and             mounded plant habit; relatively compact; becoming more             pendulous with development; freely basal branching with             about five lateral branches; moderately vigorous growth             habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 15             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 21             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 28 cm by 31 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter:             About 1 cm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; somewhat glossy. Strength: Moderately             strong, flexible. Color: Close to N199A; at the internodes,             close to 147A; with development, color becoming closer to             148A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 16.5 cm. Width: About 5.7 cm. Shape: Ovate to             lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Cordate. Margin:             Serrate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Pubescent;             somewhat glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Pubescent; matte. Venation pattern: Palmate; reticulate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 203A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 187B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N189A; venation,             close to N137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 187B; venation, close to 146B. Petioles: Length: About             6.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy. Strength:             Moderately strong; flexible. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 152A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Medium-sized to large double and single             flowers arranged in axillary cymes; freely flowering habit             with numerous flowers developing per plant, about 15 open             flowers and flower buds per plant at one time; flowers             pendulous and face mostly outwardly to somewhat downwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight             weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden             plants flower freely and continuously throughout the summer             in Northern Europe and can be flowered year-round in             greenhouses.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four weeks             on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to 51A.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 7.3 cm by 7.5 cm. Depth             (height): About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower tepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically four or five per flower arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 52C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 54B; venation, close to 54B; proximally, color becoming             closer to 49B and fading to 54B with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 52B; venation, close to 54C;             proximally, color becoming closer to 52A and fading to 54C             with development.         -   Flower tepaloids.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically one to seven per flower arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 2.1 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape:             Obcordate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 52C; at the base, close to 1C; venation,             close to 52C; color becoming closer to 49B and 52C with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 52C; at the base, close to 1C; venation, close to             52B; color becoming closer to 52B with development.         -   Flower sepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically five per flower arranged in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape: Obcordate.             Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat             glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 144B tinged with close to 53A. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 144B tinged with close             to N34A.         -   Flower peduncles.—Length: About 7.7 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Angle: Mostly upright, bending with the weight of the             flowers. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy. Color: Close to 177B.         -   Flower pedicels.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright, bending with the weight of the             flower. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy. Color: Close to N144A             fading to close to 51B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity of stamens per             flower: About 40. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament             color: Close to 13C. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther             shape: Oval. Anther color: Close to 13A. Amount of pollen:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 14C. Pistils: Quantity of             pistils per flower: Three. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Style             length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 13A. Stigma             diameter: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Curled. Stigma color:             Close to 13A. Ovary color: Close to 145B and 51A. Fruits and             seeds: To date, fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and     pests common to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of     the new Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 10° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Dobegicspflipitul’ as illustrated and described. 